A Fishers Manifesto – by Reuben Message
Trout fishing has often been referred to as an art. But is this really so, and has this assumption ever been truly explored? If it is an Art, who are the artists, the fishers or the fish? What kind of an artform is it and does it adhere to Arts defining characteristics? In this project I will attempt to answer as many of these questions as I can and hopefully raise a few entirely new ones. If it changes your established misconceptions on Art or fishing, or merely poses a mind game to distract you for an hour or two, it has been entirely successful.
Trout in South Africa
The first Brown trout (Salmo Trutta) arrived in South Africa in about 1884, from England. Later shipments of Rainbow trout ova arrived from the United States of America. Despite many disasters, by trial and error, strains of trout which could survive the harsh African conditions were eventually found. Soon these fish were planted in the rivers of many of Africa’s colder regions. It is this need for cold, clear and clean water which makes a trout such a sensitive and temperamental creature. Despite the relative lack of icy steams in a country as hot as South Africa, many areas have become very successful producers of trout for instance; the Drakensberg Mountains, the highland streams of the South Western Cape, and many of the high lying areas of the Free State, Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Due to the different climatic conditions experienced in South Africa, our trout have evolved into strains with very different habits to their ancestors. They have become indigenized into our ecosystems and fulfil an important socio-economic niche in South African society.
For many years South Africans were content to follow in the footsteps of their Northern Hemisphere brethren. The flies used to catch the fish were exact copies of the flies used in such famous streams as the Test or Avon in England. Gradually, as fish adapted themselves to their new surroundings and foodstuffs, fishermen had to find new ways to continue fooling them. The large frogs and minnows found in many African rivers became important parts in a fish’s diet. Fly-tiers and fishers realised this and began to adapt the old patterns to local conditions.
The rivers of the U.S.A and England tend to be more fertile in terms of aquatic life, particularly mayflies, which hatch at incredible regularity, than our streams. While our rivers lack this it does not mean our fish do not grow big, as they most certainly do, they have just learnt to eat different foodstuffs, in particular terrestrial insects like beetles, grasshoppers, ants and spiders which are unlucky enough to fall into the soup.
The more one single type of fly or technique is used, the more wary the fish become of it. It is inbred into their collective psyche to be on the lookout for certain imitations. Thus, the fisherman needs to constantly refine old patterns and develop new ones in order to continue catching fish. As in Art, originality has become the defining characteristic of success.
The development of South African fly-fishing and tying philosophy has developed in three phases or movements: early, middle and recent.
In the early days fishermen operated on a “what works overseas must work here” basis. They used old classic designs such as the delicate Quill Gordon or Olive Mayfly. While good general representations of aquatic fauna, they were not very accurate representations of South African insects. Dissatisfied with their results, fishermen began to experiment with new ideas and ethics.
In this second phase fishermen learnt of the effectiveness of aggression as a creative stimulus. Large and often colourful flies found their way onto fishermen’s lines. Stripped and jerked erratically through the water these flies elicited such excitement from the fish that for many years little else was tried. This movement led to the development of brilliant flies such as the Walkers Killer, Pennell Black, Invicta and Orange Marabou. Over many years fish became wary of these loud and brash creations. A new approach was needed…
In this recent phase fishermen needed to overcome the skittishness of the trout caused by the increased pressure on the streams because of the growing popularity of the pastime. Subtlety and cunning, smaller flies, lighter tackle and a keen sense of observation has led to a movement of realism and exact imitation, an attempt to dupe even the most aware of trout. Tiers such as Tom Sutcliffe , Ed Herbst and Tim Rolston have given rise to such fascinating flies as the “Poly-Winged Caddis “, “Zak” and “Micro-beetle”.
Thus, it is possible to see, like in the history of art , a clear development of ethics, techniques and groupings of ideas in the development of South African fly-fishing, the only thing missing is an artist’s manifesto…
“With the exception of painting, nothing in this life has held my interest as much as fishing. Fishing with fly, bait, a handline; I don’t much care. Fishing, in my estimation, is not a hobby, a diversion, a challenge, or an escape. It is a necessary passion.”
Russell Chatham
The Fish as subject matter
Throughout history mankind has had a very interesting and close relationship to fish. The study of evolution indicates that all life began under water and our earliest ancestors perhaps slithered out of some prehistoric ocean onto a dry and inhospitable land to which they were to adapt and evolve into life as we know it.
The importance of the role played by fish in nearly all cultures, religions, mythologies and philosophies is undeniable. The symbol of the fish is particularly poignant in the light of the role it played in Christian culture. The fish represents the Lord and also the Eucharist “Xxthus”, from the Greek, means “Fish” and is spelled from the fist letters of the Greek words meaning “Jesus Christ, Son of God Saviour”. Jesus was a fisherman himself and his dividing up of the fishes to feed the starving and Jona’s encounter with the whale bear out the importance of ichthyology in Christianity.
The role played by fish and fishing in literature and the development of language has been vast and influential – so much so that it has been claimed that more has been written about fish and angling than any other subject under the sun! Angling references go back to the hieroglyphic roots of writing itself. One of the earliest mentions of fly-fishing proper is made in Aleanus’ ‘De Natura Animilium “ of AD 200, but the two most important early works on the subject were Dame Juliana Berner’s “Treatyse of Fyssynge with an Angle “ of 1516 and Sir Izaak Walton’s “ Ye Compleat Angler “ of 1653. This work has become the most successful angling tome ever written and is still regarded as the basis of the modern fly-fishing ethic.
The effect fish have had on language has been profound. We talk of a “fishy tale“ or use proverbs like “caught hook, line and sinker” and use analogies such as “he spread his net“ often without mphasizes their piscatorial origins.
When discussing fish one must never overlook the importance, nay the necessity, of their living medium; water. Water is a common symbol of life, regeneration, and birth and is singularly the most important factor in the development of life on Earth. The analogy of life above water as being “conscious living” and under water the strange world of the “subconscious” is important in Art, especially in Surrealism. The “movement” of water is horizontal, vertical and diagonal. This movement of water is as important to fish as movement is to the essence of a painting. It provides a constant supply of food and oxygen and thus gives fish LIFE. “Life” in an artwork would be impossible without similar movement.
Fishing is far more than a commercial issue. Like Art, it provides us with an expressive outlet and is creative. As in Art, the act of fishing or painting is never the same. It is impossible to repeat any fishing activity identically as it is impossible to re-create any artwork.
Fishing, like Art, also has a strict set of codes and ethics. All fishing, but especially is surrounded in mystique and misconception, much like Art, and this is often, rightfully or wrongfully, encouraged by fishermen and artists alike. Similarly fly-fishing adheres to the same basic elements that Art does, namely; Form, Space, Colour, Line, Rhythm and Texture. Each of these shall be explored in depth later…
“To some temperaments, fishing appeals most deeply as an approach to a web of relations that give shape and coherence to the natural world. Fly-fishing in particular embraces the kind of minutiae that weave themselves into ever enlarging contexts. A trout stream points backward to geology and atmospherics, to history and evolution; it leads us forward to insects and fish, to hydrology and botany, to literature and philosophy”
Ted Leeson
The Philosophy and Psychology of Fishing
Kandinsky described mankind’s desire to do Art as a “psychic necessity to create “. This subconscious “need” is perhaps the same as the primal hunter-gatherer instinct inherent to all people and given expression to by fishing.
This would fit in nicely with a Freudian analysis of fishing, which would probably claim that everything human is motivated by a primordial, underlying instinct, with predominately sexual. For Freud fishing could be seen as a release for “past childhood angst“, a way of expressing pain or anger by the catharsis experienced in being close to mortality.. Life under water is also often likened to a dream world, completely different to our wakened experience of life, and thus linked to sleep. The attempt made by fishermen to reconnect with this sensual-liquid-dream world-sleep state could be seen as being subtly sexual and an expression of suppressed sexual anxiety.
The object of fishing is obviously to catch one’s prey. This act of stalking and catching could be linked game of relationships played out by human beings since the birth of time-that of wooing, impressing and “catching” a sexual partner.
Fishing could be looked at metaphysically as well. Jung’s archetypal needs of humanity such as fertility and wealth are given expression in fishing. Throughout history fish have played an exceptional role in the survival of mankind and are thus fixed deep in our collective conscious. Fish are also common symbols of abundance; Jesus dividing the fishes as they continue to multiply and expressions like “there are many fish in the ocean “ show how fish represent fertility and abundance . “Fishing in the waters of life “also tells us how the movement of water and the fish that live in it have been subconsciously linked to our view of destiny and how we choose to interact with the forces governing our lives.
The act of fishing also has a distinct behaviour pattern. No matter what the form of fishing, fly-fishing or drag-netting, these patterns have an action and therefore invoke a reaction. The action of casting out the bait, and the reaction of the fish toward it is like the action of exhibiting an artwork as that to stimulates a response. It is this ability to invoke a response, whether it is emotional, physical or intellectual is perhaps the most important characteristic in a successful artwork and undoubtedly is the very reason for the baits existence.
Fishing also fulfils an important social function in society. The social act of “going fishing with one’s friends” makes it a vital bonding force and means of communication for millions of people. It also gives one a brief moment when one can “step out of one’s life” and contemplate it from the outside. The expression “gone fishing “ tells one so much more than just that – it says “ I’m out ,I’m relaxing , I’m experiencing life and I do not want to be disturbed “. Fishing also exhibits all the basic concepts that constitute being a human namely, fear, pain, joy, excitement, love, meditation, disappointment and fulfilment.
Anecdote: a well-known Professor in philosophy at the University of Cape Town took a year’s sabbatical. At the end of the year, it was necessary to submit a report to the Department detailing what intellectual works had been done during that year i.e. what books read, studies conducted or essays written. But what our Professor wrote, and has since become a by-word amongst interns, was simply; “went fishing “.
To Think Like a Fish
It is necessary to study the way in which a trout perceives the world in order to understand them and accurately imitate/simulate the food which it eats.
The trout has what is referred to as a “window“ of vision- that is the piece of water above it through which it can see. The formation of the window is the result of the well-known physical laws of the way in which light penetrates water. Put simply; light rays enter the eye from all directions except from an angle of less than 10 degrees to the surface. Hence – these almost parallel rays are reflected and do not reach the eyes of the trout. When light rays strike perpendicular to the surface they continue downward in a straight line. Rays which strike at a less steep angle shall encounter more resistance and will be deflected downward at an angle steeper than the one at which they entered.
Light begins to enter the window at 10 degrees and then slant toward the bottom at an angle of 48.5 degrees. The rays which strike the water at 10 degrees mark the outside perimeter of a circular area through which the trout sees the world. Thus, as all rays slant downward at 48.5 degrees, they must all form the shape of an inverted funnel or cone area through which a trout sees.
If a trout moves upward in the water the “window“ becomes smaller as the length of the cone is shortened. If downward, the window becomes larger and thus the trout sees more.
What falls outside the circumference of the window is hidden from the fish and appears as a mirror to it. But this area performs an important function to the fish- the reflected light illuminates whatever is in the trout’s window .Also, if the object is high enough to intercept the rays of light at the edge of the window it is possible for the fish to see the object before it enters the window.
This “mirror “ or area of total reflection is very important to the fishermen. It is an elastic thing which bends and receives impressions from the weight of objects beyond the circumference of the window. The trout sees these “impressions“ in the water before it sees the object itself. For instance, the feet of a floating beetle will form individual impressions on the mirrors surface. These impressions create small lenses which condense the light in a definite pattern. These “ patterns of light “ are the first thing a fish sees of an approaching insect, and they quickly learn to associate certain light patterns with certain insects. Thus, the fisherman tries to simulate the light pattern of the insect on which the trout is currently feeding on.
“Fish (fly replete, in depth of June,
Dawdling away their wat’ry noon)
Ponder deep wisdom, dark or clear,
Each secret fishy hope or fear.
Fish say they have their Stream and Pond;
But is there anything beyond? “ Extract from “Heaven “ by Rupert Brooke
Colour
Science has proven that fish can perceive colour and distinguish between fine gradations of colour. Fish can also see colour in the ultraviolet field, colours with wavelengths too short to register on the human retina. In other words the fish can see colours which we can never see and cannot identify.
It is impossible for us to see a fly in the same way a trout does, likewise it is impossible to imitate the exact colours of a natural insect. We can only try, by trial and error to formulate a fly that is constantly taken by trout over a wide range of conditions. But, needless to say there is no fly which will always catch fish. Also, insects, even of the exact same species, vary remarkably in colour from one to another.
Yet, according to the Termo-colourists, it is important to consider colour not just in terms of vision. Colour is said to have other properties, most notably warmth, as one of its inherent characteristics. In metals these characteristics are well known, and the colour of the metal can often be used to judge its purity, temperature and hardness. According to Termo colour, black is the warmest colour. As warmth is a sign of life it follows that black has the strongest inherent “life force “contained within it. This “life force” in colour decreases as one moves through the colour spectrum towards white, which is said to be “dead “. (For our purposes black and white are treated as “true colours”. In reality black is the saturation of all colours, and white is a reflection of all colours. ) It is undeniable that fish respond to colour, but perhaps it is not the colour visually they are responding to, but the “warmth” they feel in a colours presence?
The effect of water on colour
A fish does not necessarily see colour under the water as we do on the surface. Sunlight is composed of the seven rainbow colours which are filtered out by the water, different colours at different depths. Warmer colours get filtered out quickly while cooler ones are only filtered out at greater depths. The only colour which remains constant throughout all depth is black. In green water the warmer oranges and reds are emphasised. In muddy water this effect of cutting out colours at increasing depths is accelerated, likewise if there is much suspended matter in the water.
Some Important colours for the Fisherman
Black: As previously discussed, black is the hottest and liveliest colour. This would explain why black is undoubtedly the most widely used and effective colour in fly patterns. Although it is said that nothing is truly black in nature (it is really just very dark shades of purple) most insects on which trout feed appear black. Black is also the silhouette colour and reveals the form of the fly or insect. Thus the old fisherman’s adage; “Anything small and black “ is still true.
Green: Green is a very common colour in the insect world and is thus important to the fly-fisher. Green is in the middle of the colour spectrum and is thus lukewarm, according to the Termo colourists. Kandinsky viewed green as being a passive colour, with very little interior movement. The neutrality of green allows it to enhance and support any other colour displayed with it as it reinforces the movement of that colour. This may explain why so many effective fly-patterns contain green.
Red: Kandinsky viewed red as “… a flooding and typically hot colour, which works in an extremely energetic…and restless way… it demonstrates immense and almost conscious energy.” Red also appears to be either moving toward or away from the observer. This movement and energy perhaps explains the strong attraction trout display toward red. As far back as AD200, when Aleanus documented the Macedonians catching fish of a “ speckled hue “ with imitations of Hippurus flies, red, said Aleanus was a popular colour. Red is also instantly recognisable, even right on the edge of ones vision. It is also present in many of a trout’s food forms e.g. .gills of a small fish.
Orange: is the most active colour. It is a mixture of the solid “ conscious energy “ of red and the undirected dispersal of energy that yellow displays and is thus exceedingly vibrant and energetic. This activity may explain the colours attractiveness to trout, especially at sunrise or sunset when a trout’s perception can be radically altered, muted or blunted by light, or the lack of it.
Yellow: Strangely enough quite a few successful flies display the colour yellow. Yellow appears to disperse quickly and randomly in all outward directions and is often regarded as being “ disturbing “ because of this characteristic. Kandinsky described yellow as “ superficial” Recent experiments by well-known fly-fisher-scientist Gary Lafontaine indicate that yellow triggers an “ alert “ signal in a trout’s brain, signifying danger. This is possibly a warning signal alerting the trout to the presence of an unpleasant meal, such as bees or wasps.
Violet: Although scarce in fly patterns violet shows an astonishing ability to retain it’s colour at a depth, thus making it possible to present a bright colour at a great depth. Violet has a powerful, almost painful, sense of inwardness- all of its energies are manifest within itself alone and not reacting to outside stimuli. This inward intensity perhaps explains its effectiveness as a lure.
White: The Termo colourists would classify white as the most lifeless colour. This is perhaps true on the surface of the water, but as one gets deeper, the whiteness appears to take on the colour of the water. E.g. green or brown . As many insects on which trout feed do the same, it follows that white could be an effective colour-yet it is seldom used in fly patterns.
Colour combinations: It is evident in both painting and fly design that a single colour can be extremely effective on its own. Some of the works of artists like Marc Rothko and Barnett Newman are evidence of this as is the success rate of flies like the “Black Gnat” or the “Orange Grenadier”. But more often than not flies, like paintings, are combinations of colours. It is only when colours work together that their movement and ability to stimulate a true response is fully realised. This is particularly true when discussing “attractor” flies, or those flies designed to induce an emotional, aggressive response from the fish.
Trout are able to detect colour contrasts easily, and are far more sensitive to fine gradations of colours than we are. This is particularly true in the actinic, or fluorescent colour ranges. But fluorescence is only possible if the fluorescent material itself is displayed in front of white or silver, as the ultraviolet component of sunlight needs to reflect off something in order to be active. This symbiosis between colours is true throughout fly-tying and Art- often one colour needs another in order for it to be fully appreciated. Over time certain colour combinations have proven particularly successful;
Red and yellow- incredibly active- the outward dispersal of yellow and the solid energy of red make the fly appear vibrant and attractive, pulsing with life. E.g. “Saint Clements”
Red and white- the sterility of white serves to enhance the concentrated energy of red.
Fluorescent green and black- the neutrality of green enhances the incredible “life force” of black. All fluorescence is extremely attractive to fish. E.g. “ Viva” Olive and brown- the dullness and similarity of these colours result, to a fishes eye, in a play light and vibrations between the two, making them hard to distinguish, but moving and pulsing with life. These are both very realistic colours in the insect world. E.g. “Olive Pheasant Tail “
Other well combinations are; Fluorescent pink and black
Orange and gold
Fluorescent blue and green.
Form: As previously discussed (in To think like a fish), form is important in a fly. This is particularly true when imitating a floating insect (a “dry-fly”) When the fly sinks (and becomes a “wet-fly “) its shape becomes immediately harder to distinguish and thus less important. What is important is the movement of the materials used in creating it. It is the subtle movement and change of form with the effects of water and light that make a truly alive and effective fly. Like the delicate brush strokes of Monet, the combination of indistinct form and play of light create a strong sense of life and leave a lasting impression.
Size is perhaps more important than actual shape. For example, over millennia trout have come to recognise beatis-fly nymphs to be exactly one size, and when presented with one either smaller or bigger- they will become immediately suspicious. Thus your fly needs to be just the same size as the insect you are trying to imitate.
Texture: The fish expects what it eats will be something alive. If the artificial fly doesn’t feel like a natural one, it may be rejected very quickly by the fish, not giving the fisherman enough time to set the hook in the fish’s mouth. Texture too plays a vital role in Art. The brush strokes of de Kooning or Van Gogh give their pictures a sense of structure and make them very tactile and interesting indeed. Thus, as in art, it is important to consider a fly texturally as well as visually.
Space: Water moves horizontally as it flows downward and vertically as it bubbles and eddies upward (even in a still lake). These movements create a space wherein the activity taking place between hook and fish can take place. Without this area the interaction between man and fish cannot happen. Similarly, a painting or a sculpture fills an area in space, without this space art cannot happen. Individual objects in a picture are only objects due to the space around them, which defines them and locates them in the picture plane. Thus a fly is not a fly without space in which to be a fly, and neither is a fish, a fish.
Other forms of space also exist in fly-fishing. Firstly the areas in which it takes place are unique- they contain themselves and fill a space allocated to them on Earth. The fisherman continually looks for open space in which to move and cast his line. Also the “headspace “that fishing creates, one of calm, yet intense concentration, can be likened to the mood in which many artist prefer to work. There is an area in everyone’s psyche reserved for fishing, as there is for everything else. This space is integral, both physically and metaphysically, to fly-fishing and Art.
Line: The style process involved in the action of fishing is similar to style in art, as both have a beginning and an end, linked by a direct sequence of events from start to finish. The actions of casting, hooking and landing are sequential and linear, as is the thought process. Yet each fisherman, like each artist, demonstrates these connections of events entirely differently, and thus individual style processes are possible.
From a physical point of view the pathway from eye to fly to fish, and the pathway the fly must travel in order to reach the fish is integral to catching it. Similarly the line which the rod makes in the air is unique and unrepeatable, (as it is constantly changing when faced with new circumstances). The line whipping through the air creates a shape of a tight loop, without this shape in the line, not enough momentum would be generated to deliver the fly to the fish. Thus it is evident that line is as important to fishing as it is to art.
Rhythm: Fly-fishing demonstrates rhythm in many ways. In essence it is “rhythm”. The rhythms of the seasons, of the river and its inherent motion, that of flowing water. Rhythm is linked to timing, and the constant rhythm created by the forward and backward motion of line and rod is created entirely by timing. Fish themselves live in very rhythmical cycles. Their movements and eating habits are entirely dictated by the seasons and the flow of water. Their feeding is extremely rhythmical, especially when food is in abundance. It is common to see a fish rising to insects in a constant rhythm, say every 15 seconds. Thus timing is needed to present the fly at exactly the right moment! There is also a rhythm created between the quite, slow waiting to the fast, splashy action of catching the fish.
Fly fishing as an Art: The Oxford Dictionary defines Art as; “Skill, especially human skill as opposed to nature; imitative or imaginative skill in design”. While the concept of Art has taken many knocks in the last one hundred years or so, this definition still holds a grain of truth. Skill (obviously human skill as it is performed by humans) is demonstrated in all artforms, whether it be accidental, conceptual, subconscious, visual, or technical skill. The Art of fly-fishing undoubtedly contains a refinement of skill any painter would be proud of. Fishing Follows a definite process; from concept, planning, to execution. Fly-fishing covers both imitative (in copying insects from nature and simulating their actions in the water) and imaginative (in using flies which often resemble nothing in nature but are designed to “shock” the fish into an aggressive reaction). The implication in design is obvious, especially in fly tying.
Yet perhaps the concept in art which rings most true for fly-fishing is one propounded on by Joseph Beuys. He said that for art to exist it must take part in a “relationship” of some form or another. A relationship is a give and take, an interaction built up on belief and trust, while not necessary mutual, and still plays an important role in the purpose/fulfilment cycle implied by destiny. The instinctive kinship between hunter and prey is unique and the depth to which it runs is unparalleled by any other relationship. Since the dawn of time this relationship has governed our behaviour and imbedded itself at the roots of our archetypal psyches alongside Love (procreation) and Nourishment.
Art and fly-fishing, despite common perception, have very little to do with morals of any sort. Moralising for the high ideals of “ Good “, or the evils of “ Bad “ are futile, as both are undeniably real elements in society. The moral code and ethics surrounding fly-fishing (for instance those of “catch and release “ ) are so diverse and conflicting (and all of them justifiable) as to be pointless. If one attempted to moralise exactly what one is doing every time one cast a line or dipped a brush one would, quite simply, be left a gibbering wreck without any real answers at all.
Yet neither has fishing much to do with purely hedonistic pleasure. It is an educational tool as well as an escape from mundane duty. It is a character building exercise and goes further than just enjoyment by teaching us about the environment, ethics, choices, general life experience and ourselves. Fishing, just like all meaningful creation, has a permanency. It will remain forever a point of human aesthetics. Just like Surrealism or Cubism, it has its own personal style and character.
So, if fly-fishing is an art then fly-fishers are artists. In around 400BC, Socrates said; “Artists are those who know how to make something useful”. While this seems like a simplistic view, it nevertheless holds true to fishers. The making of flies has a purpose (to catch trout) and is therefore useful, likewise actually catching the fish is useful (provides food and gives us satisfaction). According to Kant, “the thing in itself” defines it and gives it its purpose within itself. Yet Socrates does not touch on the truth about the individuality of artists as one of their defining characteristics. The philosopher who perhaps answers this best is Ananda Coomaraswamy; “The artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind of artist”.
Another interesting similarity is that between trout themselves and artists; the extremely sensitive and aware trout are the barometers of stream health. When something is wrong with the riverine ecosystem, the trout will be the first to register the ill effects. This is similar to the way in which artists’ works are often conscious or subconscious reflections on human society. Very often the sicknesses of our cultures are only recognised by the general population long after artists have expressed them.
What type of art form could fishing be? On one hand it could be argued, along the lines of Smithson or even L. Byron as being “ Earth Art “ or “ Performance Art “, wherein Art is usually viewed as being a ritualistic behaviour, rather than the actual production of objects: Fisherman enters scene. Interacts with the environment, the fish itself. Exits scene. The action has a beginning and an end, an introduction and a conclusion, almost like that of a short play. The interaction between Man and Nature make the links to Earth Art obvious.
But fly-tying is the production of objects. So it cannot be purely a performance Art, as fly-tying and fishing are practically inseparable. So, could it be a form of Constructivism or Functionalism as the flies are tied for, and the action appears to be for, a specific purpose?
Into this confusing mix throw the ideal of Conceptualism. (Once again closely linked to Earth Art). According to J. Dibbets; “The method of approach is far more important than the actual subject matter”. So is the idea of “fishing” more important than the action itself? Perhaps the aims of the fisherman, like those of the artist, are more beneficial to society than the final expression of them? In the words of Tom Phillips; “What Art [fishing] does and always will do is to help people see the word…lead people to see more in the world…natural, man made…truths that lie between things…atomic facts.”
Fly tying as an art: As previously stated fly-fishing and tying intrinsically linked and trying to separate them in real terms is pointless. But for our purpose it is simply easier to examine them from separate points of view, yet their bonds must not be forgotten.
“In a way, fly tying is trouting. Tying extends our understanding of nature. We seek the perfect pattern, even if the perfect pattern never exists. It matters only that we seek. We seek the perfect feather, the perfect method, the perfect theory. To the thoughtful tyer it is the quest and not the pattern that matters.” Darrell Martin writing in “The Art of the Trout Fly” by Judith Dunham
Fly tying may be defined as a 3dimensional sculpture accomplished principally by the aggregation of materials along the backbone of a hook, and its purpose to catch trout.
In 1886 F.M. Halford called fly-fishing “Presenting to the feeding fish the best possible imitation of the insect on which he is feeding in its natural position”. This has become the basic doctrine of what fly-fishing is. Although possibly outdated it still contains the essence of the pursuit, particularly as regards to imitation.
The great Greek philosopher Aristotle viewed art as an imitation of the action constantly occurring in nature. He devised four “causes” that explain the existence of an art form: The Material cause, the Efficient cause, the Formal cause and the Telic cause. These theories are very applicable to fly tying.
The material cause is the substances out of which the object is made. The fly tyer must know how to use his tools and techniques to achieve the best possible effect. He must experiment with diverse mediums in order to create an effective fly. Material selection is vitally important…what material will produce the most effective imitation for a particular pattern? Materials as diverse as Latex and feathers from a Marabou Stalks breast are often used to achieve the tyer’s gaol.
The tyer’s techniques are what would constitute the efficient cause. All flies reflect something of their makers. The hand of the tyer may be seen in one of his feathery creations. It is easy to recognise the rough and crafty designs of South African master tyer Dr. Tom Sutcliffe; for instance his famous deer hair Duckworth’s Dargle Delight. Or the clean and crisp micro-Caddis of Cape fisherman Tim Rolston. Each tyer brings a part of their character into their designs.
The formal cause is that form or shape the tyer attempts to imitate. In this case it is usually that of a natural insect or other small creature e.g. frogs or mice. By using different materials; hard and soft body parts, colours etc. the tyer tries to imitate the spatial dimensions of the insect. He wishes to imitate the appearance of a particular form in space.
The last cause is the telic cause. It is the purpose for which something created (telic meaning “tending toward an end “). Obviously the reason for tying flies is to catch trout. However, flies may be modified and specialised to performed particular functions. For instance Suspender Patterns, with a small ethafoam sack attached, allow it to sit upright just under the waters surface realistically imitating the Chironomid pupae.
Although fly tying’s place in art movements has already been briefly examined under “ Fly Fishing as an Art”, it is possible to see artistic trends that hold for fly tying alone. They are; Impressionism, Expressionism and Realism.
Impressionism: The tyer of impressionistic flies attempts to convey more of the “feeling” and “sensation” rather than the strict appearance of the natural insect in reality. It takes into account the movement and play of light as seductive qualities inherent in a fly. It attempts to imitate that which is fleeting and transitory- a movement of Life. These fragments of colour and light are unified by a trout’s vision. All flies are, to some extent, impressionistic. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the nineteenth century produced the sensual landscapes of Claude Monet and the delicate blends of feathers and fur in a Quill Gordon.
Expressionism: In this category no attempt is made to imitate anything found in nature. It is the home of the extravagant creations of the imagination. Bright, even gaudy colours are often displayed by these flies. Designed more to shock and stimulate the fish into an aggressive outburst. Such patterns as the Jock Scott, mosaics of feathers and colours, would certainly find no counterparts in nature. Like many Dada works, which attempted to shock and stimulate aggression, these patterns often give rise to much criticism and ethical debate. Often termed “attractors” or even “irritants” these flies are nevertheless important parts of a fisher’s armoury.
Realism: Realism seeks an exact one-to-one correlation with the natural insect. Obviously perfect correspondence is impossible. Realistic imitation is based on size, colour, form and texture, but often does not take into account the subtle movements of life underwater. The realistic tyer will know all the scientific names for the insect he is imitating, will collect and study them and be armed with books and knowledge of insect taxonomy. Realism excites the intense power of observation needed in order to tie these highly specific patterns. In fact so specific have many of these patterns become that their use for most fishermen is drastically reduced.
Super-realism, akin to model building, is aesthetically and visually pleasing. This, for many, has become an end in itself, despite the fact that very often these flies are totally impractical to actually fish with. Yet they are an important outlet for many tyers, and, like the paintings of Chuck Close, make the observer doubt what is real and what is not. Art for Arts sake?
As informative as all this is, somehow to our critical and adapted brains, these ideas and definitions seam shallow and misleading. While every philosopher since the awakening of consciousness has tried to define Art (and that was not our purpose here ) it is clear that there are as many types and definitions of Art as there are artists or philosophers. Perhaps it is the striving to answer “what is Art?” that best defines the artist’s undefinable motives in trying to express universal truths through Art. Without having the “unknown” can we mpha have the “known’? So, is fishing (and Art) an intellectual responsibility or a naïve mysticism?
The Fish
Although you hide in the ebb and flow of the pale tide when the moon has set,
The people of coming days will know about the casting out of my net,
And how you have leaped times out of mind over the little silver chords
And think that you were hard and unkind,
And blame you with many bitter words.”
W.B. Yeats
A Fisher’s Manifesto
By: Reuben Message, Matric Art Theory Project, 2002
An Exploration into Trout Fishing as an Art Form
Bibliography
Piscator : Journals of the Cape piscatorial Society 1994 and 1998
In Search of Wild Trout : Nicholas Fitton
The Dry Fly : Gary La Fontaine
A Modern Dry Fly Code : Vincent C. Marino, 1950
Fly Tying Methods : Darrel Martin, 1987
African Fly Fishing Handbook : Bill Steele, 1997
The Ascent of man : J. Bronowsky, 1997
A mean-mouthed-hook-jawed, bad-news-son-of-a-fish: Wolf Avni, 1997
Kandinsky :
Sacred and Secular : Eric Gill, 1940
Dark Waters : Russel Chatham, 1988
The Habit of Rivers : Ted Leeson, 1994
The South African Fly Fishing Handbook: Dean Riphagen, 1998
Art, a History of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture: Frederick Hartt 1977